Unlike its parent company, Rolls Royce, Bentley always had close ties to racing which often reflected on its production models. But ever since Rolls Royce took over, that racing flame slowly but surely died out. For the next few decades, Bentleys would be nothing more than rebadged and slightly cheaper Rolls Royce models. And it wouldn’t be until 1991 that Bentley would get some of its flare back with the Continental R. The Continental R was the ultimate luxury coupe of its time and it was no slouch either. That’s especially true for the 2000 Continental R which boasted a much more serious punch than the early models. The extra power coupled with a widebody option make the 2000 Continental R one of the most sought after Bentley models of the nineties. And that’s very much reflected in its prices today with the Continental R often going for four times as much as its Turbo R relative and even the first generation Arnage. But before we go into more detail, check out if any are available here at Exotic Car Trader if you are looking to experience the ultimate nineties excess on wheels.
Rolls Royce, like all British car companies, was very much in trouble throughout the eighties and with it, Bentley was as well. The early nineties brought about a new generation of models from both brands, one of which was the Continental R. The Continental R being a fast luxury coupe was a welcomed refreshment from Bentley even though it was based on the same Rolls Royce platform as virtually all other models from the period had been. Despite the parts sharing, the Continental R was a great success and over the years it would get a widebody option, a targa top, and the convertible Azure. The power increased from 380 horsepower to 425 as the models progressed, and the drivetrain saw some major improvements in terms of engine management. That said, the Continental R never got the twin turbocharged version of the 6.75 liter V8 which is a shame, but at the same time, the single turbo engine is a more authentic Bentley experience. A total of 1,854 Continentals were made between 1991 and 2003 before being succeeded by the Brooklands.
The 2000 Bentley Continental R interior didn’t see that many changes over the years, which today is a good thing. The original symmetrical dashboard design was so iconic that it can still be noticed in the latest Bentley models. But instead of a modern screen, the Continental R boasts five or seven gauges on top of the dashboard which is enough to make any driver feel like a professional vintage chauffeur. The gauge cluster is buried deep inside wood trim that also covers the rest of the dashboard, center console and doors. Also, the Continental R is one of the last Bentley models to be entirely hand built which puts its build quality far above that of any modern Bentley. A center console mounted shifter also made the first appearance in a Bentley with the Continental R which further showcased the brand’s new driver oriented philosophy. Another interesting fact about the 2000 Continental R is that it has the same seats as the BMW 8 Series as BMW technically acquired the brand together with Rolls Royce in 1996. Only the seats were reupholstered to make them more bespoke.
The 2000 Continental R exterior is bursting with testosterone unlike any other Bentley model ever made. Even the narrow body still had very pronounced wings that had a similar design to those found on a Lancia Delta Integrale or a Skyline R34. Only the Continental R was a 16.5 foot coupe making the winds look even more imposing. They were also more pronounced on the widebody version which got wider fender arches as well both front and rear. The wheel stance was also wider to complete the picture and the overall difference was night and day between the two. Up front, the Continental R got a sporty bumper with large intakes and a laser machined front grille, plus the small vents under its signature double round headlights. The rear looked somewhat basic at first glance, but you would soon notice the wide wings, wide stance and wide tires which would immediately give away that the car in front of you is far from being regular traffic. That said the rear end would certainly look better with one exhaust on each side, but it having a single turbocharger engine, one exhaust was in typical Rolls Royce fashion, sufficient.
When the first Continental R came out, Rolls Royce still didn’t reveal any official performance figures for any of their models. However, later it would be revealed that the 6.75 liter V8 made around 320 horsepower initially which rose to 380 a few years later. We do have to hand it to Rolls Royce and say that it was sufficient for the time although it wouldn’t break any records. But the 2000 Continental R makes 425 horsepower and an even more impressive 650 lb-ft of torque all of which was available at just 2,200 RPM. Those figures are very close to even some modern Bentleys. That said, the 2000 Continental R did weigh 5,340 lbs so it would need all the torque it could get. And the extra torque did come in useful as it lowered the Continental R’s 0-60 time from 6 seconds to 5.6 with a top speed of 170 mph. As for handling, the lack of anti roll bars and the tall tires certainly don’t do it any favors, but that was never the point with the Continental R. Braking isn’t that impressive either despite it having ventilated rotors up front with two calipers on each wheel. But that’s more down to its enormous weight and nineties brakes technology.
Back in 2000 when the Continental R was brand new, it was one of the most expensive cars money could buy with a starting price of around $260,000. That’s $470,000 in today’s money. And while the 2000 Continental R doesn’t cost nearly as much on the used market, with prices of between $50,000 and $120,000 on average, it’s no bargain either. That’s especially true when we compare it to its four door brother, the Turbo R which is among the cheapest Bentleys you can buy, and even most of the first generation Arnage goes for less than $30,000. But then again, the Continental R is by far the most exciting Bentley of its decade.
While Bentley had built some of the best cars continually throughout its history, we do have to admit that they were also somewhat boring. That’s what makes the 2000 Continental R so special as it marked the most significant turning point for the brand possibly ever in its history. It’s thanks to the Continental R that today we have the Amazing Continental GT and Flying Spur which have helped the brand survive the 21st century. And if you are looking to buy a Continental R or any other classic or modern luxury car, Exotic Car Trader will make the entire process as convenient as it gets. Exotic Car Trader protects the buyer with escrow, first inspection, and handling the delivery while also providing online offers so you can do quite literally everything from the comfort of your home. The same goes if you are selling a car through Exotic Car Trader as we are also the ones responsible for uploading the car to our website and taking professional photos at your front step.
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